Container used to carry bath salts fell out of teen’s shirt in front of officers, police say

OLD TOWN, Maine — A container reportedly used to carry the synthetic drug known as bath salts allegedly fell out of a Greenbush woman’s shirt when she was talking with police last week just before she was charged with trafficking.

“While speaking [to her], a metal container fell out of her shirt and they found out it does contain a synthetic drug, i.e. monkey dust,” which is one form of bath salts, Old Town police Sgt. Scott Casey said Tuesday.

Kayte Emerson, 18, was charged with drug possession for having the bath salts, and then with trafficking in synthetic hallucinogenic drugs “after [police] learned she was in the process of selling the stuff,” the sergeant said.

Bath salts, a designer drug that became illegal in Maine at the beginning of July, usually contains mephedrone or methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV. Police, doctors and emergency responders have reported signs of paranoia, hallucinations, convulsions and psychotic behavior in users of the drug.

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Emerson was taken to Penobscot County Jail in Bangor and later was released, Casey said. (Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN)